the maternal musings of Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu
other side of the game & to zion: exploring their unique perspectives on motherhood
introduction:
Neo-soul is a genre of music which creates an unbreakable bond between your mind and body, and you simply can’t ignore it. Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill are some of the greatest minds to step out of this genre; with that, they’ve impacted many lives. Their music embodies femininity, blackness, and so much more. Today my focus will be on the parallels between their melodic debates on having children in the songs Other Side of the Game and To Zion.
erykah badu:
Erykah Badu (née Erica Abi Wright), often quoted as the “queen of neo-soul”, is a singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. R&B, soul, and of course, hip hop, influenced her as the 1997 album Baduizm, placed her at the front of the movement.
other side of the game:
Other Side of the Game by Erykah Badu was written for her debut album in 1997. It demonstrates an element of jazz, separating itself from the album’s total neo-soul sound. The song is a ballad describing the story of a woman in a relationship with her husband, who dabbles in illegal activities. She’s conflicted as she’s expecting a child with him and weighs the morality of it.
In the chorus, Badu struggles with wanting to escape the vulnerability of essentially depending on crime to exist where work ain’t honest but it pays the bills. It further connects the idea of crime providing a life free of economic struggles, but again, it is not how she willingly wants to live.
The use of the word “baby” in do i really want my baby, can have a dual meaning where it can refer to a term of endearment or her actual child. She questions if she wants to actually be with this man who isn’t the best influence on her.
But looking at it from the latter perspective, we have the decision of whether or not to terminate a pregnancy due to the issues involving raising a kid in such a dangerous environment. We see this every day with different cases of how children who grow up in dangerous environments more than often end up with years of trauma, so it’s natural for a woman— and soon-to-be mother— to worry.
The second verse again demonstrates the idea of who exactly is she referring to when she says baby. This lifestyle hurts Erykah and “baby”, which can mean both her relationship with her husband but also the connection she’ll have with her child. As we continue listening along the verse, we understand that she is subconsciously forced to stay in the relationship. The seed has grown, and she can’t make it on her own, which clearly reflects how so many women tend to stay in these toxic relationships because of this feeling of lack of independence and the fact that there’s essentially a seed blooming in her.
its music video:
The music video plays out in a continuous shot in the bohemian chic apartment of Badu and her lover (in the video, her then-partner André 3000), in true Badu style. A camera follows them as they wake, cuddle, dress, tease each other, cook and do other activities around the house. She even directly references her and 3000’s pregnancy with their son Seven.
One of the most critical parts of this music video is the emotions Erykah embodies throughout the song. The second she wakes up and begins to sing, she almost has this melancholic expression which doesn’t leave her face. It’s the fact that she directly stares into the camera, at us, and essentially tells this story from start to finish, and all we can do is watch and listen.
lauryn hill:
Lauryn Hill (née Lauryn Noelle Hill) is a singer, songwriter, and rapper. She’s regarded as one of the greatest rappers ever, bringing a fusion of rap and neo-soul into popular music. Even after more than two decades, her only studio album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill continues to vividly play in the minds of many.
to zion:
To Zion is the album’s fourth track and one of its most moving ones. The song features Carlos Santana (who has hits such as Maria Maria and Black Magic Woman), where Lauryn wrote this about her first child, Zion. She sings about the uncertainty in her pregnancy, just like Badu, but Hill focuses on the joy she found in him after his birth.
In the first verse, Lauryn opens with unsure of what the balance held, i touched my belly overwhelmed by what i had been chosen to perform, which already holds so much depth. She contemplates what could happen as a result of her having a child and considers the effects that continuing her pregnancy could have hence the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Children can often shift priorities, take our energy, and more; we saw this in Badu’s song, where she contemplated having a child whilst having to bring him up in a possibly dangerous environment. Woe this crazy circumstance hints at the personal aspect between Lauryn and Zion’s father (Rohan Marley) and her career at the time. Everybody told Lauryn to look at her career, knowing that this child could’ve possibly halted that. But she chose her heart, and the rest is history.
religious allusions:
If you listen to the song, especially the chorus, there’s a clear element of gospel music where Hill’s voice completely powers through. And this continues as chants of marching, beautiful beautiful Zion, and the list continues, reinforces this.
Religious references aren’t unusual to this album, where songs such as Every Ghetto Every City refer to New Jersey as New Jerusalem (and her heart belongs in Jersey) or in I Used to Love Him, where she references Psalm 36:6. But then an angel came one day, told me to kneel down and pray for unto me a man-child would be born is another religious allusion used in To Zion. It alludes to passages in the Gospels on Mary’s conception of Jesus, and Hill essentially refers to her decision to have this child as divine.
on motherhood:
Both songs acknowledge that motherhood is a transformative experience that is both challenging and rewarding. Badu sings about the emotional toll that motherhood can take on a woman, and how it can be difficult to balance the needs of her children with her own needs. She reflects on the sacrifices that she has had to make as a mother, including giving up certain aspects of her personal life, but ultimately concludes that the love and devotion that she has for her children make it all worthwhile.
On the other hand, Hill’s is a more celebratory song that highlights the joy and fulfilintroduction:
Neo-soul is a genre of music which creates an unbreakable bond between your mind and body, and you simply can’t ignore it. Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill are some of the greatest minds to step out of this genre; with that, they’ve impacted many lives. Their music embodies femininity, blackness, and so much more. Today my focus will be on the parallels between their melodic debates on having children in the songs Other Side of the Game and To Zion.
erykah badu:
Erykah Badu (née Erica Abi Wright), often quoted as the “queen of neo-soul”, is a singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. R&B, soul, and of course, hip hop, influenced her as the 1997 album Baduizm, placed her at the front of the movement.
other side of the game:
Other Side of the Game by Erykah Badu was written for her debut album in 1997. It demonstrates an element of jazz, separating itself from the album’s total neo-soul sound. The song is a ballad describing the story of a woman in a relationship with her husband, who dabbles in illegal activities. She’s conflicted as she’s expecting a child with him and weighs the morality of it.
In the chorus, Badu struggles with wanting to escape the vulnerability of essentially depending on crime to exist where work ain’t honest but it pays the bills. It further connects the idea of crime providing a life free of economic struggles, but again, it is not how she willingly wants to live.
The use of the word “baby” in do i really want my baby, can have a dual meaning where it can refer to a term of endearment or her actual child. She questions if she wants to actually be with this man who isn’t the best influence on her.
But looking at it from the latter perspective, we have the decision of whether or not to terminate a pregnancy due to the issues involving raising a kid in such a dangerous environment. We see this every day with different cases of how children who grow up in dangerous environments more than often end up with years of trauma, so it’s natural for a woman— and soon-to-be mother— to worry.
The second verse again demonstrates the idea of who exactly is she referring to when she says baby. This lifestyle hurts Erykah and “baby”, which can mean both her relationship with her husband but also the connection she’ll have with her child. As we continue listening along the verse, we understand that she is subconsciously forced to stay in the relationship. The seed has grown, and she can’t make it on her own, which clearly reflects how so many women tend to stay in these toxic relationships because of this feeling of lack of independence and the fact that there’s essentially a seed blooming in her.
its music video:
The music video plays out in a continuous shot in the bohemian chic apartment of Badu and her lover (in the video, her then-partner André 3000), in true Badu style. A camera follows them as they wake, cuddle, dress, tease each other, cook and do other activities around the house. She even directly references her and 3000’s pregnancy with their son Seven.
One of the most critical parts of this music video is the emotions Erykah embodies throughout the song. The second she wakes up and begins to sing, she almost has this melancholic expression which doesn’t leave her face. It’s the fact that she directly stares into the camera, at us, and essentially tells this story from start to finish, and all we can do is watch and listen.
lauryn hill:
Lauryn Hill (née Lauryn Noelle Hill) is a singer, songwriter, and rapper. She’s regarded as one of the greatest rappers ever, bringing a fusion of rap and neo-soul into popular music. Even after more than two decades, her onlu studio album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill continues to vividly play in the minds of many.
to zion:
To Zion is the album’s fourth track and one of its most moving ones. The song features Carlos Santa (who has hits such as Maria Maria and Black Magic Woman), where Lauryn wrote this about her first child, Zion. She sings about the uncertainty in her pregnancy, just like Badu, but Hill focuses on the joy she found in him after his birth.
In the first verse, Lauryn opens with unsure of what the balance held, i touched my belly overwhelmed by what i had been chosen to perform, which already holds so much depth. She contemplates what could happen as a result of her having a child and considers the effects that continuing her pregnancy could have hence the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Children can often shift priorities, take our energy, and more; we saw this in Badu’s song, where she contemplated having a child whilst having to bring them up in a possibly dangerous environment. Woe this crazy circumstance hints at the personal aspect between Lauryn and Zion’s father (Rohan Marley) and her career at the time. Everybody told Lauryn to look at her career, knowing that this child could’ve possibly halted that. But she chose her heart, and the rest is history.
religious allusions:
If you listen to the song, especially the chorus, there’s a clear element of gospel music where Hill’s voice completely powers through. And this continues as chants of marching, beautiful beautiful Zion, and the list continues, reinforce this.
Religious references aren’t unusual to this album, where songs such as Every Ghetto Every City refer to New Jersey as New Jerusalem (and her heart belongs in Jersey) or in I Used to Love Him, where she references Psalm 36:6. But then an angel came one day, told me to kneel down and pray for unto me a man-child would be born is another religious allusion used in To Zion. It alludes to passages in the Gospels on Mary’s conception of Jesus, and Hill essentially refers to her decision to have this child as divine.
on motherhood:
Both songs acknowledge that motherhood is a transformative experience that is both challenging and rewarding. Badu sings about the emotional toll that motherhood can take on a woman, and how it can be difficult to balance the needs of her children with her own needs. She reflects on the sacrifices that she has had to make as a mother, including giving up certain aspects of her personal life, but ultimately concludes that the love and devotion that she has for her children make it all worthwhile.
On the other hand, Hill’s is a more celebratory song that highlights the joy and fulfilment that motherhood can bring. She speaks to the deep connection that exists between a mother and her child, and how that bond can bring meaning and purpose to one's life. While she acknowledges that motherhood can be difficult at times, she ultimately sees it as a beautiful and transformative experience that has enriched her life.
In both songs, the message is clear: motherhood is a complex and multifaceted experience that can be both challenging and fulfilling. While the songs approach the topic from different angles, they both recognise the significance of the mother-child relationship and the transformative power that it can have on a woman's life.
my thoughts:
These songs are powerful in their own right, and you can't pick which one is "better" because they're both different sonically. I'm not a mother, but the fact that these two women make me feel the struggles they went through solely through music and visuals says enough. Both of these albums are magical and have forever changed the lives of so many. They didn't just make albums and songs. They made a movement.
ment that motherhood can bring. She speaks to the deep connection that exists between a mother and her child, and how that bond can bring meaning and purpose to one's life. While she acknowledges that motherhood can be difficult at times, she ultimately sees it as a beautiful and transformative experience that has enriched her life.
In both songs, the message is clear: motherhood is a complex and multifaceted experience that can be both challenging and fulfilling. While the songs approach the topic from different angles, they both recognise the significance of the mother-child relationship and the transformative power that it can have on a woman's life.
my thoughts:
These songs are powerful in their own right, and you can't pick which one is "better" because they're both different sonically. I'm not a mother, but the fact that these two women make me feel the struggles they went through solely through music and visuals says enough. Both of these albums are magical and have forever changed the lives of so many. They didn't just make albums and songs. They made a movement.